Elastic hinge of a central buffer coupling for rail cars

An elastic central buffer coupling for two rail cars, comprising a bearing housing adapted to be connected to one of the rail cars and having at least one end with a coupling rod receiving opening, said housing having an interior wall with a plurality of axially spaced radially inwardly extending annular housing cam surfaces, a coupling rod adapted to be connected to the other of the rail cars and having an end extending into said housing with a plurality of radially extending axially spaced annular coupling rod cam surfaces of substantially the same axially spacing as said housing cam surfaces, and a plurality of rings engaged on said coupling rod between said coupling rod cam surfaces with respective ones having outer peripheries bearing on said housing between adjacent housing cam surfaces, said housing interior wall and said coupling rod having an oval cross-section, said rings being held in spaced axial relationship by said coupling rod cams wherein said housing comprises two mirror-image half-shells joined together and detachable bolt means connecting said half-shells together.